In U.S. Pat. No. 3,419,625, R. C. Doss discloses a method for preparing fluorotrinitromethane. As described in this patent, a solution is formed in a reaction zone by dissolving an alkali metal fluoride in a polar organic solvent. Tetranitromethane is then slowly added to the solution while maintaining the solution at a temperature in the range of zero to 100.degree. C, preferably within the range of 0.degree. to 30.degree. C. After the addition of the tetranitromethane is completed, the reaction mixture is maintained within one of the aforementioned temperature ranges for a period of about 0.5 to 100 hours. It is stated that when the contacting temperature has been maintained within the preferred range of zero to 30.degree. C, it is then usually desirable to substantially increase the temperature of the reaction mixture to a temperature of not more than 100.degree. C for a short period of time. While the method described is suitable for preparing fluorotrinitromethane, it appears from the patent that it is only effective in producing the product in low yields. Thus, the maximum yield of fluorotrinitromethane obtained in the runs described in the examples was about 9 percent.
It is a principal object of this invention, therefore, to provide a process in which fluorotrinitromethane is produced in very high yields.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the accompanying disclosure.